Folding stage



April 23, 1963 R. E. scl-uEaR, JR

FOLDING STAGE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1959 INVENTOR. .szvZzelezJk BY I 37 r April 23, 1963 R. E. SCHIEBER, JR 3,086,256

FOLDING STAGE Filed April 2, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Je M 2x2 11 2 1/1 529 United States Patent 3,086,256 FOLDING STAGE Robert E. Schieber, In, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Schieber Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 803,668 1 Claim. (Cl. 20--1.123)

This invention relates to improved collapsible, or folding platforms, or stages of the type commonly used to provide a performing stage in school gymnasiums, cafeterias, or other halls, which are generally built with level floors and not especially designed to include fixed, raised platforms, or where insuffioient space is available for a fixed stage.

One important object of the present invention is to provide an improved folding platform, or stage, which can be easily folded for storage, and readily and quickly unfolded and set up for use when and where desired.

Other objects of the invention are: to provide an improved folding stage having a smooth and unobstructed surface without recesses or projecting hardware, thereby improving the convenience of persons using the stage and also facilitating cleaning and refinishing of the stage surfaces; to provide an improved folding stage includ* ing a plurality of juxtaposed planks, or panels, which fold up accordiomfashion for storage, and including a hinge arrangement whereby all of the panels are hinged from beneath the upper surface of the stage, thus avoiding the need to locate hinge pintles or other hardware on the upper surface or in recesses in the upper surface; to provide in a folding stage of the stated character, an improved arrangement for breaking the joints between the panels as the stage is folded up for storage; and in general to provide an improved folding platform, or stage construction which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, simple to operate, and rugged and depend able in service.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away of a collapsible, or folding stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the stage shown in FIG. 1, but taken on a larger scale and from a different angle of view to show certain details thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the folding stage illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the folding stage shown in the preceding figures, showing the platform in its open, or extended position;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of the stage shown in the preceding figures showing the stage in a partly folding position as it appears during unfolding thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, partly in section, taken along the line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG; 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the stage taken along the section line 88 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing a detail of the latching arrangement for locking the stage in its collapsed, or folded position.

A folding stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings, and comprises a plurality of panels, or planks 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e and 10 which may be of wood, and which are arranged side by side, with their abutting edges hinged together so that the panels can fold together in a zigzag, or ac- 3,68 ,256 Patented Apr. 23, 1963 "ICC cordion-like pattern. Any desired number of panels may be included in the construction depending on the desired size of the stage in view of the width of the panels as determined by their strength and the desired load capacity of the stage. The stage as illustrated in FIG. 1 includes only six panels, but as illustrated in FIG. 5 would include at least ten panels, seven of which are shown. The number of panels is notin any way limiting.

A two-piece apron 11 extends down from the front edge of the stage to provide a neat appearance, and may, if desired, be extended to floor level.

The panels 1011-10 are supported upon a sturdy substructure generally designated 12 which may be of steel, and which supports the stage both in its extended position and in its folded, or collapsed position. As shown, the substructure 12-includes three rows 13,15, and 17 of supporting legs 14a, 14c, 14c, 14g, 16b, 16d and 16 which may be of tubular steel or other rigid material having the desired strength. Fewer or more rows may be provided, if desired, depending upon the width of the platform and the load it is designed to bear in relation to the strength of the panels -101". The different rows 13, 15, and 17 of the supporting understructure are connected together at their tops by means of the panels 10a-10f, and are connected together near the bottom by rigid, laterally extending members such as the angle irons 19, which are secured as by welding near the bottoms of the legs 14a, 14c, 14c, and 14g.

The three rows 13, 15, and 17 of the substructure are identical to each other in construction and operation, and operate synchronously during folding and unfolding of the stage. The following description. will be related to the single row 13, in the foreground of FIGS. 1 and 2, and it will be understood that the construction of each one of the rows is identical to the row described, except for change of hand between the two rows 13 and 17 along the opposite sides of the stage.

The legs 14a, 14c, 14e, and 14g are parallelogram linked to the legs 16b, 16c, and 16 through the panels 10a-10f at their upper ends, and through links 18a-18f at their lower ends. Alternate ones 140, Me and 14g of the legs are provided with rollers 20, which are preferably castered, as illustrated for ease in moving the stage while it is in its folded transport, or storage position. The legs 16b, 16d, and 16f between each two of the roller mounted legs are provided with rubber tips 21 to insure good frictional, nonmarring engagement with the door, to hold the stage against lateral movement while it is in use.

The parallelogram folding action of the panels 10a-10f is arranged so that during folding the rubber tipped legs 16b, 16d, and 169 move upwardly, and are supported inan elevated position, as shown in 'FIG. 5. When the stage is fully folded, it is supported entirely on the roller mounted legs14a, 14c, 14c and 14g, and can be readily moved abouton the rollers 20.

During folding of the stage from its open, or extended position to its fully folded position, the panels 10a-10f fold downwardly relative to the rubber tipped legs 16!), 16d, and 16 and fold upwardly relative to the roller mounted, legs 14a, 14c, 14c and 14g. The panels 10a10f are hinged directly to the rubber tipped legs 16b, 16d, and 16 by butt hinges 22. One plate (not separately designated) of each one of the hinges 22 is fixed as by screws 24 to the bottom of one of the panels Illa-10f, respectively, near the edge 26a, 26b, 26c, 26d, 262, or

26 thereof adjacent to the rubber tipped legs. The other connection between the legs 16b, 16d, and 16 and the panels. The pintles (not separately designated) of the butt hinges 2 2 are disposed below the panels a-10f and do not present a problem with respect to obstructing the top surface. The hinges 22 are secured to the panels by means of screws 24 which extend only partly through the panels, and do not protrude above the top surface.

' The opposite edges Zita-2S1 of the panels must fold about a hinge axis located in or above the plane of the upper surface of the stage. This requirement is not readily compatible with the desirability of making the stage surface clear, flat, and unobstructed by recesses or projecting hardware such as hinge pintles, while still providing a smooth folding action without binding or rubbing contact between the panel edges, and providing a tight joint between the panels when the stage is opened; or extended. Previous folding stages have used hinges along the panel edges 28a-28f having pintles either projecting above the top surface of the stage or recessed in niches in the panels, thus obstructing the surface. or making it difficult to clean and to refinish;

In the present construction, the panels 10a-10e meet tightly along their edges 28a-28e above the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c, and 14e when the stage is in its open position, yet are completely clear and unobstructed. Fully concealed hinges 30 which may be, for example, of the type sold. commercially by the Soss Manufacturing Company are used to join the edges 28a28e of the panels above the roller mounted legs. According to the present invention, provision is made to minimize the stresses imposed upon the fully. concealed hinges 30, and to relieve them of load, since they are relatively not strong and do not have the most effective purchase on the panels, being recessed into the panel edges and secured by screws extendingparallelto the major surfaces of the panels. Provision is also made to attach the panels 10a-10f pivotally to the roller mounted legs 1 4a, 14c, 14c, and 14g to keep the legs in alignment with the panels and to ensure the proper parallelogram action during folding.

' In' the open position of the stage, the panels Mia-10f aresupported by the legs 14a, 14c, 14a, and 14g, resting directly upon cross members 38a, 38c, 38c, and 38g fixed on top of the legs, thus minimizing the load placed upon the concealed hinges 30. Bearing and reinforcing plates 32a3 2f, which may be of steel, are secured along the bottoms of. the planks 1011 10 above each row 13, 15, and 17 of the substructure for rigidifying the planks and protecting them from abrasion and crushing forces.

The; pivotal connection between the planks 10a-10f and. the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c, 14e, and 14g is provided by a sliding hingearrangement including slotted guide plates 34a34e, which are rigidly secured as b welding to the reinforcing plates 32a-32e, and which extend downwardly along alternately opposite sides of the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c, 14e,and 14g to engage guidev pins 36a-3fie. The guide pins 36a-36e are fixed on and exte'nd laterally in alternately opposite directions from the cross members 38a, 38c, 38c, and 38d through the slots 40a-40e respectively of the guide plates.

Eachone of the guide plates 34a-34 is secured to only one or; the panels Illa-10c, and the slots 40a-40e are curved about the same pivot axes as the concealed hinges 30 to permit theguide plates 34a-34eto swing upon the pins 360-36 2 during foldingand unfolding of the stage. The guide plates 34a-34e keep the legs 14a, 14c, 14e positively aligned both laterally and longitudinally. Lateral alignrnent'is achieved by the relatively close spacing of the guide plates 34a-34e laterally on the opposite sides of the cross pieces 38a, 380, as best shown in FIG. 7. Longitudinal alignment is achieved by the pin-in-slot arrangement.

The slots 40a40e are sufficiently long and the pins 3611-36 e are displaced from the center lines of the legs 14a, 14c, 14c, and 14g to permit a full 90 swing of the panels so that the panels 10a-10e may be folded to a vertical position, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In this construction, the concealed hinges 30 control the folding action of the panels 1041-102 relative to each other and keep their edges 28a-28d properly spaced from each other to prevent scuffing or rubbing.

The substructure 12 is reinforced by a collapsible truss arrangement (not generally designated) including diagonally extending links 44a-44f which are pivotally connected between the lower ends of the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c, 14c, and 14g and sleeve members 46b, 46d, and 46 which are slidably fitted upon the vertically movable legs 16b, 16d, and 16 The links 44a-44f act in pairs to form triangular trusses when the stage is in its extended, or open position and rigidify the. parallelogram structures. When the stage is folded from its extended position to its storage position, the vertically movable legs 16!), 16d, and 16 move upwardly relative to the sleeves 46b, 46d, and 46]. The pivot connections 50a50f between the links 44a-44f and the sleeves are preferably spaced outwardly from the sleeves, as shown, so that the links 44a-44f support the sleeves 46b, 46d, and 46 against tipping and thus rigidify the vertically movable legs when the stage is in its folded position.

During folding of the stage from its open, or extended position to its folded, storage position, the successive pairs of the panels Illa-10f fold in a successive folding action, thus minimizing the force required for folding, and rendering the stage relatively easy to fold up for storage, and also easy to manage when unfolding. The first section of the stage, including the first two panels 10a and 10b, for example, completes a major part of its folding travel before the next section, including the panels 10c and 10d, starts to fold, and, similarly, the second section, including the panels and 10d, completes most of its folding travel before the third section starts to fold. A relatively simple, but highly effective arrangement is provided to ensure this action and to break the folds successively, so that a push against the forward edge of the stage will be translated into a proper folding force for folding the stage rather than being transmitted in a direction to move the stage along the floor.

For this purpose, bell cranks 52c and 52a are pivoted upon all of the roller mounted legs except the legs at the rear end of the stage. The rearwardly projecting arms 54c and 54a of the bell cranks extend rearwardly when the stage is fully opened, and are connected at their ends by chains 56c and 56a to the vertically movable legs 16d and 16 immediately to the rear of the legs 14c and on which the bell cranks are mounted. The front arms 58c and 58e of the bell cranks extend downwardly and forwardly, and are bent laterally to bring their lower ends into line with the roller mounted legs 14a and 140. The vertically movable legs 16b, 16d, and 16 the truss links 44a-44f, and the lower parallelogram link-s 18a18f are all laterally offset from the roller mounted legs 1411, 14c, 14c, and 14g to permit engagement of the front bell crank arms 58c and 582 by the roller mounted legs 14a and 14c, respectively, immediately in front of them.

During folding of the stage, the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c, 14c and 14g approach each other, and the leg 14a, for example, of the first section to be folded strikes' the front arm 58c of the first bell crank during the terminal'portion of the folding travel of the firstsection, and the remaining closing travel of the leg 14a pivots the bell crank 52c in a counterclockwise direction to lift the next vertically movable leg 16d off the floor, thereby starting the folding action of the next section, which in this example includes the panels 100 and 10a.

. A- special foot-operated lever 53 is pivoted on a bracket (not separately designated) on one of the front legs 14a for breaking the first section, that is, for breaking the fold between the first two panels 10a and 10b. A chain 56a is connected between the rear end of the lever 53 and the vertically movable leg 16b immediately behind it. A foot bar 55 projects from the forward end of the lever 53 for actuating it.

The lever 53 is mounted to clear the apron panel 68 when the stage is open and thepanel 68 is swung down to its vertical, or closed position. The apron panel 68 is normally raised for folding the stage, thereby providing access to the foot bar 55.

The stage may thus be folded in a row of dominoes sequence, the terminal portion of the folding travel of each section initiating the folding of the succeeding section. It has been found that by using the chains 56c and 56a, or other tension members to connect the rearwardly extending arms 54c and 5% of the bell cranks to points relatively low on the vertically movable legs 16d and 16 a relatively smooth and easy lifting action is achieved, and the force required in folding the stage is reduced.

Notched bars, or hooks 60c, 60e, and 60g (FIG. 5) are provided for locking the stage in its closed position when it is folded. The hooks 60c, 60's, and 60g are pivoted upon pins 62c, 62e, and 62g near the bottoms of the roller mounted legs 14c, 14c, and 14g respectively, and their movement is controlled by the lower parallelogram links through torsion coil springs 64c, 64e, and 64g, which are pivoted on the pins 620, 62e and 62g, respectively. The springs 640, 64a and 64g are each provided with two arms (not separately designated) the forward ones of which engage the links 18b, 18d, and 18-7, respectively, immediately forwardly of the pivot pins 62c, 62e and 62g, and the rear ones of which are fixed to the hooks 60c, 60e and 60g, respectively. When the stage is in its open position, and the links 1811-18 are horizontal, the springs 64c, 64c and 64g raise the hooks 600, 60a and 60g and hold them in a vertical position. When the stage is folded, the links 18b-18f pivot in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, and through the springs 640, 64s and 64g pivot the hooks 600, 60a and 60g to a horizontal position.

The first section of the stage is locked by a hook 66, which is in the form of a bell crank, and which is pivoted upon the pin 62a on the front roller mounted leg and spring urged in a counterclockwise direction by a spring 67 connected between the hook 66 and the first leg 14a. The hook 66 is actuated by the lower apron panel 68, when the panel is swung downwardly. An abutment plate 69 is fixed on the rear surface of the apron panel 68 for engaging the forward arm of the hook 66 and pivoting the hook to move its rear arm into a horizontal position as the apron panel 68 is closed. With this construction, when the stage is folded and the apron panel 68 is locked in its closed position, the hook 66 is positively held in engagement with the pin 62c on the second roller mounted leg 140.

The pins 620, 62a, 62g and 621' (FIG. 5) extend sulficiently far outwardly, and the hooks 66, 60c, 60c and 60g are laterally offset sufliciently to engage the pins when the roller mounted legs are moved to their fully closed position.

During folding of the stage, the hooks 60c, 60e and 60g are moved toward their horizontal positions successively as the successive sections reach their fully folded positions, and are thereafter engaged by the pins 62e, 62g and 62: immediately to the rear of the hooks. The pins 62a, 62g and '62: cam the hooks 60c, 60c and 60g upwardly against the urging of the springs 64c, 64c and 64g until they reach the notches (not separately designated) whereupon the springs 640, 64a and 64g drive the hooks into locking engagement of the pins. The apron panel 68 may be closed at any time after the first stage section is folded to engage the hook 66 upon the pin 62c and thereby to lock the first section in its folded position.

When the stage is completely folded and the apron panel 68 is moved to its closed, or vertical position, all of the hooks 66, and 60a, 60a and 60g are horizontal and in engagement with the pins 620, me, 62g and 621' immediately to the rear of the pins 62a, 62c, 62c and 62g upon which the hooks are respectively mounted,

thus holding the roller mounted legs and the entire stage from unfolding.

The stage may be locked in this position by means of a key operated lock, such as the spring lock 76 illustrated in FIG. 9 which may be mounted in the hinged, lower apron panel 68 for engagement with a catch plate 78. The catch plate 78 may be, for example, secured to the first leg 14a of the central row 15 in the substructure. When thus locked, the sage may be moved about as desired in its folded storage condition.

When it is desired thereafter to open the stage, the lock 76 may be unlocked and the apron panel 68 raised sufiiciently far to release the hook 66, thus allowing the biasing spring to swing the hook 66 out of engagement with the first lock pin 62c, to unlock the first section of the stage. Unfolding of the first section moves the parallelogram link 1812 toward its horizontal position, thereby drawing the second hook 600 toward its vertical position and unlatching the next lock pin 62a. Since, during opening of the stage there is a tension force upon the latched ones of the hooks 60c, 60e and 60g, the hooks will be retained in engagement with the pins 62e, 62g and 62i until the springs 64c, 64c and 64g are stressed sufiicien-tly by the parallelogram links 1812-18 to overcome the retaining frictional engagement.

Bumpers 70 which may be simple angle iron pieces, as illustrated, are secured to and extend rearwardly from the roller mounted legs 14a, 14c and 14a for limiting the travel of the roller mounted legs toward each other when the stage is in its closed position. The bumpers 70 are dimensioned to space the lower ends of the legs 14a, 14c and 14e apart a distance equal to the spacing between their upper ends to keep them in straight vertical alignment when the stage is in its folded position.

A relatively narrow extension panel 72 is provided at the forward end of the stage to cover the extension of the cross pieces 38a beyond the center line of the front legs 14a, and to close the space between the first panel 10a and the upper panel 74 of the apron.

What is claimed is:

In a folding stage construction of the type having a plurality of juxtaposed panels hinged together along their adjacent edges and foldable between a generally horizontal position wherein they constitute a supporting surface and a zigzag accordion-like folded position for storage, and a substructure comprising a first plurality of legs at alternate hinge points below the junction of the edges which are downwardly disposed when the stage is folded, a second plurality of vertically movable legs hinged at intermediate hinge points, and means to raise said vertically movable legs to facilitate folding of the panels, the improvement comprising fully concealed hinges for joining the panels together along their edges that are exposed downwardly when :the stage is in its folded position, said hinges being arranged to pivot about pivot axes, and means for pivotally connecting the panels to said first plurality, respectively, of vertically extending leg portions of the substructure that extend generally in the vertical planes of said pivot axes, said connecting means including guide plates secured to the bottom surfaces of the panels and having arcuate slots curved about said pivot axes, said guide plates being disposed in abutting sliding relationship with said first plurality, respectively, of leg portions, and pins fixed to said first plurality, respectively, of leg portions of the substructure and extending therefrom generally parallel to said pivot axes through said slots at positions offset from the ver tical planes of said pivot axes, whereby during folding and unfolding travel of the panels said guide plates and said pins cooperate to keep said first plurality, respectively, of leg portions and the panels in predetermined alignment with each other.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jessen Sept. 8, 1908 Brown Dec. 18, 1925 5 Corrigan Feb. 18, 1930 Kirsch Nov. 14, 1933 0 Wigell Jan. 7, 1941 Horn Feb. 9, 1954 Mugler Jan. 18, 1955 Cohn Feb. 14, 1956 Lappin Dec. 10, 1957 Schieber Apr. 22, 1958 Mackintosh July 8, 1958 

